Solar Sales Divide

Learn the basics of photovoltaics: sunlight creates direct current in panels, converted by inverters to alternating current for grid-tied homes, with south-facing arrays and shading considerations.

Explain how domestic hot water uses solar thermal to cut electricity, with PV-powered pumps and solar collectors. Compare this with PV-based heating and pool heating for rooftop deployment.

Explore how net metering links solar panels to the public grid, offsetting bills with surplus power via bi-directional meters, while policy debates determine who pays.

Explore how battery backup systems provide power during outages. Learn why solar alone cannot feed a downed grid and how charge controllers, inverters, and net metering interact.

Explore the solar sales divide by comparing the democratized model with leases and PPAs to the customized, owner-occupied approach, revealing policy impacts on availability.

Identify the qualifications solar companies seek, from degrees and driver’s licenses to sales, communication, closing, computer skills, self-starters who deliver presentations, and strong networking.

Understand the solar industry's professional standards and norms, from licensing and contracts to third-party ownership, incentives, net metering, insurance, and maintenance requirements.

Develop core solar salesperson skills with a practical basic understanding, then tailor training through employers to fit diverse company strategies; explore affordable online and in-person options.

Examine how the American solar industry currently operates, including utility ownership, renewable portfolio standards, and state electricity rates shaping solar adoption.

Governments entice solar adoption with incentives like net metering and a federal 30% tax credit, now tapering to 26% in 2020 and 22% in 2021, prompting solar leases and PPAs.

Examine solar sales strategies for democratized third-party ownership with leases and PPAs versus customized traditional solar, including door-to-door and call-center approaches.

Connect solar features to benefits to sell the product and tailor pitches to client needs. Build networks with business cards and a website, referrals, and host open houses with follow-up.

Identify three solar client types—environmentalists, independent-minded, and investors—and tailor marketing by highlighting benefits like clean energy, energy independence, and financial returns to meet each group’s needs.

Identify key disadvantages of solar adoption, including financing costs, location-based payback, battery backup design, lifestyle effects, and regulatory barriers such as permitting and financing.

Identify obstacles in solar sales, including customer misunderstandings of the system and net metering, time-sensitive incentives, budget limits, and prequalifying homes with Project Sunroof before visits.

Size a solar system by analyzing site exposure, annual bills, true kWh costs, and homeowner goals, then plan grid-tied vs off-grid options and potential incremental panel upgrades.

Calculate savings by multiplying a 2.1 kW system by 5.5 sun hours and 365 days, adjusting for 85% efficiency to estimate annual kilowatt-hours and ~299 kWh monthly.

Compare cash, solar loans, and third-party ownership, noting cash yields the best value while loans provide incentives with interest, and leases or PPAs raise resale and independence risks.